Driftwood Kitchen

I arrived on a Friday evening around 6:00PM. I was the sole customer and chose to sit at the bar. It’s in a strip mall, and it’s a cute restaurant inside. All the staff were friendly and efficient. The bartender kindly spent time making chit chat when she wasn’t busy. I ordered a glass of Chardonnay, and it was a decent sized pour. For dinner, I asked for the small house salad and the ½ lb of steamed and peeled shrimp. The salad was the perfect size for me. The lettuce was crisp and it included carrots, onions, tomato, cucumber and croutons. The shrimp were cooked just right so they weren’t mushy. The tail was still on so it was easy to grab and dunk in the melted butter that came with it. I came away satisfied with my light dinner. The place had filled up pretty good by the time I left.

What makes a good experience eating out? Unpretentious setting greetings, quick service in seating and then serving food that tastes excellent ..and is very fairly priced. Then your server checks on you regularly and gets you a to go cup without asking. I miss places like this but you can have it at Driftwood. I had the blackened tuna with mustard and apricot. It was cooked perfectly and the balance of spice and sweet in the sauce was something they have clearly worked on because its balanced just right. The pickled shrimp was something ive not seen before. It was a nice surprise. Again, a chef that thinks about their food and brings some creativity makes eating out worth it. I have to give them a thank you too because they actually make it affordable. In a world of restaurants sounding fancy and charging per word,Driftwood seems to have chosen a path where serving good food at reasonable prices will keep people coming back.

Am not too hungry so I ordered oysters Rockefeller and Pickled Shrimp, for $10 each, great Happy Hour price! Ambiance is casual, music over the PA system, closed caption monitors by the bar and on the wall. Decor is typical aquatic/ocean living with a marlin replica over a window looking out to the foyer/entrance with a big Driftwood Kitchen sign welcoming patrons. Service is friendly, was asked if I was by myself and if I wanted high top or booth. The server was friendly bringing two glasses of water thinking I have company; even asked if I wanted an extra glass since she already had it. Now the food: I wish I could give more than 2 stars . The pickled shrimp was a great concept but nothing about it was pickled. The 4 pieces of shrimp were cold and tasteless, exactly were cocktail shrimp that were tossed in oil and some other mixture. It definitely not pickling juice There were onion slices but were raw, not pickled. There were 2 thin slices of lemon stacked up on the shrimp, wasn’t sure what to do with them so I just squeezed whatever bit of juice over the shrimp. The oyster Rockefeller was definitely better tasting than the pickled shrimp. The oysters had creamy sauce, melted cheese and sprinkling of pancetta. There was supposed to be spinach but it was imperceptible. The oysters were not plump, more on the small side.

I wish I could give half ratings; Everything was AMAZING, but their portions are small. I would have rated 4.5, but the food and quality of service was top notch, that’s what saved them. I ordered the biscuits+gravy, (only came with one biscuit unfortunately) my boyfriend ordered waffles with eggs. The taste was immaculate all around the table!

Stopped in because the photos and reviews were positive. I was not lead down the wrong path. Service was quick and attentive, food was huge-my salad was their small option-cheese logs were very good, and my experience was overall great.

July 12 25 stop by for breakfast the staff was amazing smiles and friendly food was awesome I ordered the steak bowl which came with tomatoes which I took off and gave to hubby he got western omelette with pancakes and mimosa since we celebrating our 38th. Food and service was so awesome they remembered us so we back it up i got the steak bowl again and forgot to say no tomatoes but Chef Boo saw us and remembered now that’s great service and they gave us a mimosa on house for our anniversary and food was just as delicious as the first time. In Virginia Beach you gotta check them out breakfast lunch or dinner 5 stars

We came down to Virginia Beach for a four day stay and I would say that the driftwood kitchen was easily our best meal. We came to happy hour and started off with a spicy sashimi pepper bloody Mary and my husband got an ice cold Modelo . We were also able to taste two types of oysters during HH.We got both Wicomico and Seaside oysters and they were fresh and very tasty. My husband got mahi with a side of potatoes and I got muscles from the raw bar. The restaurant was very clean. The service was quick and friendly. We really enjoyed our meal.

Driftwood Kitchen in Virginia Beach, VA is a seafood lover’s dream! We had an incredible dining experience from start to finish. The raw oysters were fresh, briny, and perfectly chilled—some of the best oysters we’ve had near the Virginia Beach oceanfront. The crab soup was rich and flavorful with plenty of lump crab meat, and the mussels were steamed to perfection in a delicious broth that we couldn’t stop dipping our bread into. For the main course, we ordered the grilled Mahi, and it was outstanding. The fish was expertly cooked, tender, and full of smoky, chargrilled flavor—definitely one of the best Mahi Mahi dishes in Virginia Beach. The sides were equally impressive and complemented the seafood beautifully. The ambiance is coastal and relaxed, making it the perfect spot for a romantic dinner or casual night out. Service was attentive and knowledgeable, and the entire experience felt top-notch without being overly formal. If you're searching for the best seafood restaurant in Virginia Beach, Driftwood Kitchen should be at the top of your list. Whether you're craving fresh oysters, crab soup, mussels, or grilled fish, this local spot delivers big on flavor and quality. We’ll absolutely be back!

Awesome service. Food was good, and came out fast. Restaurant was clean and pretty quiet when we went. Loved the spinach dip, and my husband loved the oysters. They had good deals for happy hour.

Fantastic breakfast!! My daughter wanted to come back for breakfast because she enjoyed the French toast so much! I'm our first visit, I had eggs Benedict and our second, The SOS. Both were so good. The service was great!! There was a massive line at Pocahontas Pancakes and this amazing place is right around the corner! Skip the line and come here for great food and much faster service!

Am not too hungry so I ordered oysters Rockefeller and Pickled Shrimp, for $10 each, great Happy Hour price! Ambiance is casual, music over the PA system, closed caption monitors by the bar and on the wall. Decor is typical aquatic/ocean living with a marlin replica over a window looking out to the foyer/entrance with a big Driftwood Kitchen sign welcoming patrons. Service is friendly, was asked if I was by myself and if I wanted high top or booth. The server was friendly bringing two glasses of water thinking I have company; even asked if I wanted an extra glass since she already had it. Now the food: I wish I could give more than 2 stars . The pickled shrimp was a great concept but nothing about it was pickled. The 4 pieces of shrimp were cold and tasteless, exactly were cocktail shrimp that were tossed in oil and some other mixture. It definitely not pickling juice There were onion slices but were raw, not pickled. There were 2 thin slices of lemon stacked up on the shrimp, wasn't sure what to do with them so I just squeezed whatever bit of juice over the shrimp. The oyster Rockefeller was definitely better tasting than the pickled shrimp. The oysters had creamy sauce, melted cheese and sprinkling of pancetta. There was supposed to be spinach but it was imperceptible. The oysters were not plump, more on the small side.

We went to Driftwood Kitchen for an anniversary brunch. The place itself was clean and no other customers were there so we had the waitress's full attention. I'm a sucker for benedicts so I ordered the southern benedict with a side of their potatoes. The Benedict was decent. Not my favorite but was still good. I wanted to like the potatoes cause they did have good flavor but way too salty for me. I could t finish them. My husband had pancakes which he didn't like at all. Their dinner menu seems interesting but I don't think we will return for breakfast.

We came here for a late lunch. Mostly it seems like this restaurant is more focused on brunch then lunch. I thought there would be more non seafood items for my husband but there was literally just two burgers. He ordered the cheese logs and they were out of them. I just ordered the crabcake sandwich which came with horseshoe fries. Most of the fries were alittle burnt. My crabcake was very thin but had a bunch of crab/less filler which was nice. I ordered my daughter pancakes which were pretty good and some cheese grits (she didn't like it - needed more seasoning). Overall the food is just okay. The waiter was very nice though and checked in on us frequently. There is free parking lot in the front. Prices were fair for the area. I think it would have been better for breakfast.

I arrived on a Friday evening around 6:00PM. I was the sole customer and chose to sit at the bar. It's in a strip mall, and it's a cute restaurant inside. All the staff were friendly and efficient. The bartender kindly spent time making chit chat when she wasn't busy. I ordered a glass of Chardonnay, and it was a decent sized pour. For dinner, I asked for the small house salad and the 1/2 lb of steamed and peeled shrimp. The salad was the perfect size for me. The lettuce was crisp and it included carrots, onions, tomato, cucumber and croutons. The shrimp were cooked just right so they weren't mushy. The tail was still on so it was easy to grab and dunk in the melted butter that came with it. I came away satisfied with my light dinner. The place had filled up pretty good by the time I left.

Discovered this gem on our latest trip to VA Beach. Staff was phenomenal and breakfast super delish! I had a classic fave of mine, chipped beef on toast and hubby had the daily special, a meat omelet. Prices were good, experience was great!!

Went to the Drift because wanted that authentic seafood experience, while at the VB... although I'd say this place had the menu and offers, not pleased with overall taste and definitely not the price. Yikes. Service was good but portions and food not anything special... did have the pickled shrimps, which was the highlight of the visit. This a very unique experience and neato way to enjoy some shrimp. Maybe the driftwood will be just what you needed.

The restaurant was very clean and nicely decorated, I also like that it had free parking. The staff were nice and the food came in a timely manner. The food however was a miss. The steak was very juicy but it tasted like liver and the grits were hard and super thick as you can see in the picture. The waiter could tell I didn't enjoy it and offered to fix it or get me something else but I was already put off at that point. It was definitely not my cup of tea.

Pretty good food here. We came in with a large party and were promptly sat early on a Saturday evening. The server did a nice job splitting the checks for the total of 4 families that were eating. I had the seared tuna and it was pretty good! Wife had the Greek salad and although it didn't quite hit the mark as a "Greek" salad all of the ingredients were very fresh. I appreciate the kids menu very much. 4-5 things for them to choose from and they all enjoyed whatever it odd that they ordered. I wouldn't hesitate to try this place again to try something different off of the menu. Also, happy hour on Saturday from 3-6 pm was a nice surprise. Enjoy!

Great meal tonight. Easy going atmosphere. We sat inside due to the rain but they have great outside seating. Thanks to the owner Troy for a great night!

First of all, the service was top notch. She knew the menu inside and out and was fantastic at making recommendations! Pickled shrimp are a new favorite delicacy for me just wish there had been one more- an even 6 would've been nice for sharing! The Driftwood Crush was a nice twist to the local favorite. It was nice to see a kitchen that cares so much about in-house recipes and I could tell the locals appreciated it! Loved the casual vibe too!

Friendly service in a relaxed outdoor setting because we had dogs with us! The hostess seated us promptly and quickly took our drink orders. We ordered the Gill Net omelette, the Kitty Hawk sand-witch, goat cheese platter, and one other dish I can't recall. Everything was very fresh and delicious!! The goat cheese platter was not only fresh and flavorful but an exquisite work of art full of fresh shishito peppers, nuts, fruit and goat cheese! The Gill Net omelette was bursting with flavor with crabmeat and shrimp! The chef definitely loves to craft a work of art that is as equally as delicious and satisfying!! Highly recommend this place for a light yet refreshingly hearty meal!!

Found this place by the beach. It's nice, clean. Staff were very friendly and good. I ordered the Mahi Mahi fingers, they were succulent. The pickled shrimp were tasty. The berry cheese cake was great. I also had a bourbon berry smash drink . It was out of this world.

Full disclosure, as always, all of my reviews are based on my expectation of the venue. I have an expectation of sushi that I pick up at the quickie mart versus a night at Nobu. In this case, there is no need to fill in the details of our amazing dinner and impressive surprises from the bar. If you have ever tasted the love of the chef in the food that you were served, then you will understand why there are just no words. You must go here for yourself.

The food was excellent. The service was good and timely. The ambience was nice and current. Great place to eat, within walking distance from several hotels and the beach. I recommend Driftwood Kitchen.

Just happened to find this little jewel! The food was delicious ! The Broccoli salad was a delight it brought back memories of dinners at home with family. Tuna dishes were the best in the area, we will definitely make this one we have on our go to list. Service was excellent! Hope to see you all on our next trip!

Amazing service. The young lady who was our server was fun and engaging and I'm happy we got here vs the woman who looked like she hated her job. The host (young man) was also very kind - sweet demeanor. Patio was lovely - comfy chairs. Overall food was good. A couple callouts. I love corned beef hash and have had it at tons of places. This would rank as my least fav. Not enough corned beef - way too many fat pieces - potatoes (while tasty) overwhelmed the dish. My husband had omelette and he enjoyed it. Cups of juice were small but reasonable priced so got 2 to satisfy my thirst. Would try this place again - but would definitely order something else.

Driftwood kitchen is conveniently located by the oceanfront and has a great menu selection, the food however was a miss for us. The oysters arrived over-charred, fish was overcooked and pasta was extremely unflavored. The service was really wonderful and the drinks were good. Overall me and my party left disappointed.

Stopped in for lunch on the way out of town. Had the Mahi Mahi breakfast with corned beef hash and cheesy grits. The food came out quickly and the service was great. The food was very good. The corned beef hash was excellent. The restaurant was not very busy, so my waitress took great care of me. Will definitely come back when in the area.

Ladies lunch, first impression, very cool vibe, industrial yet fun. Our server was excellent, both attentive and friendly. Orders came out in perfect timing. I ordered the make your own omelette, it was delicious and cooked perfectly, I got it with a side of cheese grits and they were really good. You can order breakfast anytime, and was greatful for that. Three in our party of 6 ordered omelette the others soup and half sandwich, and they were very satisfied with them. We did get two appetizers, the blackened tuna and the goat cheese board, both were fantastic. The chef came out at the end to make sure we were satisfied, very impressed. Highly recommend you try this place.

Decided to check out this cozy looking spot that felt more "locals" and less tourist. We chose to sit outside on the patio to really capture the atmosphere during the seaside season. Our server was knowledgeable and shared wonderful recommendations. Food overall was quite good. We ordered the Mahi fingers, the blackened tuna, the fried oysters, and a greek salad. The Mahi was lightly breaded and cooked perfectly. The Tuna was a nice portion for an appetizer. Plenty for 2-3 people to enjoy. The fried oysters were today's special and they definitely hit the mark of deliciousness! Large oysters were super juicy and perfectly breaded. Our greek salad was large, too large. Majority was lettuce. I do want to mention that all sauces were made in house and were a fantastic pairing with our meal. Pleasantly surprised and would definitely recommend to others!

Elizabeth at the bar gave us great advice on food and drinks. Everything is fresh and you can definitely tell. Right off the boardwalk so very convenient!

What a lovely local place with really good home made food and sauces. We arrived late to VB and found this wonderful spot right by our hotel. We shared the mussels, French fries, fried shrimp and a salad. It was perfect for a late evening lighter supper along with a nice glass of wine. The service was so nice. It's super clean and the food was delicious!

We were in VA Beach and decided to try DK. We were promptly seated and found the server to be pleasant. I ordered the crab cake sandwich and my hubby ordered the special, which was soft shell crab. My crab cake was delicious and we all know I'm a crab cake connoisseur My hubby enjoyed his meal as well. We were not blown away by the food and service, but it was good. The restaurant had a nicer feel/ambiance than some of the chain restaurants in the area.

The food was okay. Their fries were soggy and my friend that I was with ordered a Greek salad with her meal and it came as a house salad. When she told the waiter, they wouldn't take it back or even give her a new salad, he just kept insisting that this is what she gets. On the other hand, their oysters Rockefeller are some of the best i've ever had! The ambiance and vibe of the place is very casual!

OH MY! A delicious dinner from start to finish. My mom asked if they could burn the butter for her lobster tails. I thought she was crazy. She told the waitress that there was a French restaurant that served burnt (not browned butter) with her lobster when we lived in Rio and that no one has ever been able to replicate it, until tonight. It was amazing! I had a taste and we dragged every thing through the butter and didn't leave a drop. I made the healthy choice of a Salmon Niçoise salad and it was amazing. My drink before dinner was soooo good - southern comfort, sour, blackberry smash. It's a good thing our hotel is around the corner. Our server was amazing, checking with the chef to make sure she could deliver. If you are ever in Virginia Beach be sure to check this place out. Cheers!

Came here for dinner service. Glad to see they had an outdoor eating area where they allow dogs to lay down. We were greeted and seated right away. The server was friendly and brought out a water dish for my pup. The food was delicious. Credit card accepted.

MUST TRY!!! As we approached Driftwood Kitchen, there was plenty of parking and parking for people with disabilities. As we entered, there was an awesome scent of seafood and burgers, YUM! We were greeted by Kat who is the bartender and Troy the owner who were smiling. We placed our order and the food came out fast! Chef Eileen came out and asked if our meal ok. It was perfect! We felt like royalty! We want to thank Troy, Kat, and Eileen for a wonderful experience and tasty food! You helped make our vaction spectacular! You have more than earned your 5 star review!

Food was excellent. We particularly liked the Oysters Rockefeller. They were superb. Spinach dip and pickled shrimp were excellent also. Service was great.

This was a very clean restaurant and the service was great! The pancakes were probably the best pancakes I have ever had! We also had the dune buggy burger and biscuits and gravy they were average. My daughter loves to rate mozzarella sticks and have theirs an 8/10. Definitely recommend giving it a try.

We go there often, and the food and staff are all wonderful. We like the crab cakes and the blackened tuna. My mother-in-law doesn't eat seafood and loves the hamburger there. The service is fast and, most importantly, the food comes out correctly. The atmosphere is friendly and nicely decorated in a nautical theme, as you would imagine. As locals, this is one of our go-to places. We also like the drink menu. They make a great Vodka crush. Highly recommend Driftwood.

I had the pickel shrimp, amazing flavor, good portion size Blackened salmon very tasty, good amount for an app. Very nice people,clean establishment, quite, reminds me of a neighborhood upscale meeting place LINDSAY WAS GREAT

Definitely a hidden gem in Virginia Beach oceanfront. I've been there for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their eggs Benedict and hollandaise sauce are perfect as well as their homemade corn beef hash. If you're looking for steak and eggs for breakfast, they're not gonna overcook your steak and it's not a piece of paper thin meat either. The servers, cooks, and owner are one of the best as well as the bartenders. You only have to go to this restaurant wants for it to become your new favorite in Virginia Beach.

Breakfast here for us. Pretty empty on a Sunday morning. Food and service were good in an attractive little strip mall. Pricing made the $18 buffet at our hotel seem the more attractive option for the next two mornings.

I came here looking for seafood. My meal was mediocre. Overcooked fish, overcooked asparagus, overcooked pasta. Yes there was a bit of theme... It wasn't bad. And it would have been good had it not been overcooked. Employees were fun and helpful. Maybe we just came on a bad night.

Food was excellent. We had pickled shrimp, three cheese grilled sandwich, and salmon with penne pasta and the chocolate cake with cookie dough filling. The last two were recommended by our waitress, Samantha and she was correct that they were delicious. The service was quick , the restaurant was clean, and the staff were friendly. We will definitely dine here again when in the area .

Late to post but wanted to share. Went early Sept after tourists were gone because we went next door and saw how busy this place was during dinner. Perfect outdoor seating on the side that's quiet and not in direct afternoon sun, even a view of the water. Staff was great and food was delicious. Want to go back to try dinner. Def recommend!

Popped in for a meal. The service was pretty decent but slow at the bar. I ordered a top shelf margherita. It was a bit tart from the cocktail pre-mix. I ordered clam chowder. The chowder is served in a clam broth. This dish is a soup, not a chowder. No creamyness.I ordered a house salad. The greens were fresh. I could not find anything else on the menu I was open to trying, that was available. The bar is definitely full. This seems like a good place to drink, but I am not sure about the food options. I'm not sure that I would try here again unless they had the items I was interested in available.

Great food Blackened tuna medallions were so good Mahi fingers were very tasty cooked perfectly the fries were amazing

I had never been to Driftwood Kitchen so I tried it, and had a salad. It had nothing in it! A slice of tomato and one slice of onion! Yuck! So I waited a couple of weeks, they are rather new, and thought I would give them another chance! So I go and have Eggs Benedict, and when I ordered, I told the waitress to please put enough hollandaise on it. Well, it came and only had a small smear on it. So, I ask the waitress if she would please bring me some more. So she did. She was very slow did not attend well to our beverages. Food was just okay, nothing to blow me away. I got my check and I was charged $4.50 for the Hollandaise which was supposed to come on my Benedict. That does it! They will not get another chance- definitely off my list!!!

Amazing food had the surf and turf steak was cook perfectly and very tender lobster tail was delicious the staff was very friendly would definitely recommend

Excellent food for brunch. Menu is simple but very high quality. We had the southern Benedict and ham, egg and cheese biscuit. Biscuit was exceptional and if you like Virginia style ham you will like both.

The staff at this restaurant made our party feel very uncomfortable our whole dinner with loud comments clearly conveying that they don't want us there. For context, we had a big party of 20 people for a last minute reservation. We called the restaurant FIRST at 8pm to confirm if they would be able to accommodate us. We saw that they were closing at 10pm on Yelp. We called for a reason to make sure it was ok. The lady was very nice over the phone and said YES and that they will be ready for us in about 30-45 minutes. GREAT! We were happy and grateful they could take our large party last minute. A few people in the party show up to the restaurant at around 8:30pm and the rest trickled in till 8:50pm. The waitress was clearly stressed from the beginning and we couldn't understand why she was being so passive aggressive. She then told the first group of people after already being there for at least 15 minutes that the kitchen is closing at 9pm. Come to find out, the whole restaurant closes at 9pm! So #1, their yelp hours are wrong and #2, they told it was OK to come 15 minutes before they closed. Why say that and be very nice over the phone, just to be passive aggressive and clearly upset when we arrive?! When we found this out, someone from our group tipped our waitress $20 right then just because we felt bad about being so late. When the last group of people came, one of the other girls working yelled to the cooks over the window (super close to our table) stating that "5 more people from the big party are here and said that 2 people are on the way and I told them that we close at 9pm". This is fine, however she said it so snarky and loud to obviously make sure we heard she was upset. You can tell the whole staff was just upset at us being there. We understand why (large party, late arrival). HOWEVER, they told us it was ok to come and we can be accommodated and also when to come which was 15 minutes before they closed. Had this been an issue at all, they should have said no to us coming. We would have understood! Instead, they decided to make it so uncomfortable for all of us. And the whole time we were being very nice and told them it's okay if we were separated into multiple tables because it was a big party. For the most part, the food was good aside for a couple people not being happy with theirs. But it was so overshadowed by our experience and the environment that the staff created. Again, if they had said no to us coming, we would have understood! But the way they went about the whole situation was so wrong and unprofessional. Not a great experience at all.

Oh my God. Hit this place for breakfast from a local recommendation and boy were they right! This place was great from the atmosphere to the food.

Great menu selection - for both healthy and decadent eaters. Every dish was phenomenal. Friendly service. Relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. Henry is an awesome waiter. Never had to ask for a refill, and fun to talk to while waiting for the rest of your party.

I came down here to VA Beach for a 2-day meeting and found them right across the street from my hotel!! Great place good vibes, warm welcoming environment awesome service, love Robbie!!! We ordered the crab cake dinner( strongly recommended) paired with grilled asparagus and penne pasta, and shrimp penne pasta. Will definitely come back here when I'm in town again!!

Perfect relaxed atmosphere and great food selections for a rainy windy tropical storm kind of day. Warm and welcoming staff and patrons made me feel right at home. Also the broccoli salad is a must have side when there! Looking forward to having the highly recommended homemade crab soup next visit.

We had oysters, salmon and mahi mahi. All of it was great and we will definitely be coming back. All the sides were also very good. Restaurant was clean and had a good atmosphere, staff was kind and food came out quicker than expected.